Set Up Trading Parameters window Set spread parameters on this window. See Setting Trading Parameters for details about how to use this window. Spreads button Off (gray button) = Shows outrights. On (orange button) = Shows all orders for that symbol. If you cannot see this button on the DOMTrader, click the arrow to display hidden DOMTrader components: (This button is different from the Spreader icon.) 1
Working with the Set Up Trading Parameters Window There are two primary sets of actions for this window: changing parameters that impact the way your spread is traded and making changes to the trading parameters window itself. To change numerical parameters The parameter fields are either buttons, check boxes, or fields that contain numbers. To change those numbers, you can: type a new value in the field; or click the field and use your mouse wheel to increase and decrease the value. To restore default values When you change the default value of a parameter, the Reset button becomes active and a small colored triangle appears to the left of the section heading: To return to the default, click Reset. To change the parameter window s font size 1. Right-click anywhere on the window. 2. Click the font size you want: Extra small, Small, Medium, and Large. 2
To collapse and expand sections Click the arrows on the left of the section heading to collapse and to expand the sections. CTRL+click expands the section and collapses the others. Double-click the top-left empty cell to expand all sections. Other actions Click the QFormula button at the bottom of the window to open the Define User Formulas window. Click the checkbox to apply these settings to all open trading windows for this strategy. Click the question mark to read more about the parameter. 3
Setting Spread Properties Parameter Color Overfill management Ignore partial fills Description Click the color button to open a standard color selector. (You can also right-click the color-coded area on the DOMTrader or Order Ticket, and then click Set color.) It is possible to get overfilled when legs are being worked aggressively. Suppose you are working a 5-lot spread of 1:2, looking to be filled at 5:10. In actuality, you are filled at 7:10. This parameter specifies how to manage this overfill. No selection: Indicates that the trader manages the overfill and that the system should take no action. Auto Hedge Overfills: Indicates that when either the working or leaning leg is overfilled, the system should try to maintain the leg ratio. In this example, the result is an order for four lots on the second leg. In the case where you are overfilled one lot on the second leg, 5:11 for example, the system cannot hedge the spread because maintaining the ratio would require a half-lot order on the first leg. Avoid Overfills: Indicates that the system should minimize the chance for an overfill to occur by working legs less aggressively. Specifically, the system waits for the exchange to acknowledge its previous action before it adds quantity or places another order. Suitable only when working one leg of a spread. It s best to explain this parameter through an example: Suppose SPREAD(A-B,,,10:1) is being traded with A set as the working leg, Buy 1@10. After strategy order placement, the system works a primary order on A 10@100. Market B shows a best bid of 90. The order is partially filled 3@100 on A. 4
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Setting How to Work Parameters Parameter Size Work Description Indicates the size of each leg as determined by the leg ratio. Indicates the legs to work. Default = least liquid leg. Identifies the order type for orders placed on this leg as a result of a working leg fill: limit (LMT), limit with offset (LMT with offset) or market (MKT). Default = LMT. Offset allowed values = -99 to 99. Default = 0. Offset is calculated in ticks. A limit with offset order is a limit order places at the normally calculated price +/- the specified offset. 6
Setting Messaging Parameters Parameter Volume Multiplier Work Threshold Min Size Increment Description Determines the size of working orders based on a percentage of the resting volume available in the queue of the monitored leg. For example, if set to 2, then twice as many contracts must be available in the monitored leg than the working leg. Allowed values: 0.1 to 999.9. Default = 1. Tells the system to work the order if and only if the available quantity in the monitored leg is and remains greater than this value. The system works the order only for the quantity that exceeds this threshold. Example: if Working Threshold = 5 and Available Quantity = 7, then Order Quantity = 2. Allowed values: -9999 to 9999. Default = 0. Minimizes transaction count. Tells the system to place an order only if the quantity available in the monitored leg is at least this much and to modify a working order only if the quantity available in the monitored leg increases by at least this much. This parameter is applied to the working order only when the monitored available quantity increases; the working order size is always modified on a decrease in the available quantity on the monitored side. Applies to working orders. Choose between lots and percentage. Allowed values: 1 to 9999. Default = 1 lot. 7
Setting Proportional Execution Parameters Parameter Trigger Description Indicates how many contracts (lots or percent) should be filled in the primary order before the secondary leg order is placed. For example, you re working 10 lots of TYA and leaning on 1 million of BTC. If this setting is 50%, then the BTC leg order should be placed when 5 lots of TYA have been filled. Choose between lots and percentage. Default = 1 lot. 8